Knotting device



Dec. 23, 1958 Ess 2,865,665

KNOTTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 D. MESSA KNOTTINGDEVICE Dec. 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1957 United StatesPatent-O lice KNOTTXNG DEVICE Daniele Messa, Roe Volciano, ItalyApplication January 8, 1957, Serial No. 633,072 Claims priority,application Italy January 13, 1956 11 Claims. (Cl. 289-17) Thisinvention relates generally to automatic knotting devices and moreparticularly, relates to a novel manually-operated knotting device forjoining corded and doubled woolen yarns or threads such as are subjectto breaking tension thereof in weaving looms.

In cloth weaving processes it is common to tie two threads together bymeans of aknot called a weavers knot. Actually, such ties are not knotssince they do not have the characteristic hitches and interlacings of aknot and hence, are readily loosened and become completely undone merelyby pulling sufiiciently on one of the joined threads. Characteristic ofthe knotting device embodying the invention is the tying thereby of acomposite knot formed of two simple overhand knots arranged in inti-'mate engagement one with the other which will not become undone orloosened merely by pulling on one of the conjoined threads.

2,865,665 7L Patented 7 Dec. 1958 scribed in the specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawing. It is contemplated that minorvariations in the construction, arrangement, proportion and size of thevarious mechanical elements combined to form my knotting device mayoccur to the skilled artisan without departing from the scope orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings'i I I Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the knottingdevice embodying the invention from which one of the side plates hasbeen removed to show constructional details.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the plate removed in Fig. l andlooking toward the inside surface thereof to show the pair of cross-overpivotal levers carried on said plate. I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of Fig. 1 and in thedirection indicated.

Fig.- 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing details l of theknotting' hooks or bills.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the knotting bills and showingcut-ting shear means associated therewith;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of one of the knotting hooks or bills.i

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical view of the pair of overhan'd knots tied bymy device and Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing said knots adjacentone the other in formation of said composite knot.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatical view of the position ofknotting bills afterthe pair of overhand knots have been tied and showingthe tensioninglever in broken line moved to a position preparatory to forming thecomposite knot.

My device is constructed automatically to conjoin two threads or yarnsproperly placed in the device by means of such advantageous compositeknot. Said device has a pairof vertically-arranged laterally spacedplates between which are supported the various operational components,which include generally a pair of cross-over pivotal levers and a pairof knotting hooks or bills having associated therewith thread cuttingmeans in the form of shears. Means are provided on said books or billsfor gripping the threads placed in the device and said bills have meansfor adjusting or varying the pressure exerted by the gripping means onthe threads. The knotting and shearing elements of the device areoperated in predetermined sequence by means of a pair of toothed pinionsmeshed with a second pair of pinions. Said latter pair of pinions aresupported on a helical drive member or spindle which is positioned to berotated by means of a trigger lever having a component engageable withsaid helical drive or spindle. Cam guide means are provided to afiectsequential operation of the knotting bills and cutting shears information of said pair of simple overhand knots and a combinationtensioning and extractor lever pivoted at one end thereof is movable toengage between said pair of knots and pull same into a composite knotone adjacent the other. It is therefore another object of the inventionto provide a manually operated automatic knotting device of thecharacter described comprised of a combination of operational componentsand means for controlling operation of said components in apredetermined sequence whereby said composite knot may be achieved. 7

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, in-

- c-luding the simplicity of and fool-proof operation of of the device,will become'appa'rent from the ensuing description in which a preferredembodiment has-been de- Fig. 10 is a diagrammatical view showing thetensioning lever moved to a position to form the composite knot and theconjoined threads are withdrawn or extracted from the knotting bills.

Prior to a detailed description of the device, a brief discussion as tothe manner in which the composite knot is formed will be helpful. Theoperational components of my device, which is designated generally bythe reference character D in Fig. 1, are located between a pair of sideplates arranged vertically and substantially parallel one relative theother. Pivotally mounted on one of the side plates is a pair of levershaving gripping fingers or pawls located adjacent a pair of guide slotsin said plate. The second side plate likewise has a pair of guide slotsof which each slot is aligned substantially .opposite a guide slot ofthe opposite side plate. Said levers are pivotal toward and away onerelative the other in a plane of movement parallel to said side platesand transverse to a plane' connecting each pair of aligned guide slots.

There is provided a pair of knotting bills or hooks each having threadcutting means operably associated therewith. Said knotting bills arearranged one opposite the other for rotation on parallel axesintermediate the side plates and normal to the projected substantiallyparallel planes between each pair of aligned guide slots. An extractoror tensioning lever is pivotally supported on the second side plate. Thecomponents are connected for sequential operation through the medium ofa trigger lever pivotally mounted between the side plates and connectedthrough appropriate linkages with said components. The sequence ofoperation after a pair of threads is placed in position each supportedin a pair of aligned guide slots is generally as follows: As the triggerlever isp'ivo'ted manually, the said cross-over levers first are pivotedone toward the other and cross each other with Q 1 is seen in Fig; l andplate holding one of said threads. In full crossed position of saidlevers, the threads thus engaged are crossed in a resulting loopformation. After the loop formation is formed, the knotting bills rotatein a movement inserting said bills into the loop formation and continuedrotation of said bills results in each of the cross-over threads beingwrapped around a said bill. Upon completion of approximately onerevolution of the knotting bills, each of the wrapped threads has beengripped and formed into a simple overhand knot with the knots spaced onefrom the other and a portion of each thread between the knots. After theknots are formed, the shears on each'knotting bill sever an end of thethread bill behind the simple overhand knot the gripping meansretainingtheir hold on the threads. The tensioning lever is moved between theknot into engagement with said portions of the threads between the knotsin a direction applying tension against said thread portions and pullingsame upwardly in a movement causing said overhand knots to slidetogether to 'form a single, composite knot. Upon completion ofthecomposite knot, the tensioning lever functions to extract the threadsengaged with the bills. All of the functions described are achievedautomatically in a predetermined sequence by means of my device.

Referring now to the drawing, my device includes a pair of laterallyspaced apart side plates of which plate 2 is seen in Fig. 2. They areassembled with facing surfaces as seen in Fig. 3 and the operatingcomponents are installed between said plates 1 and 2. A pair ofvertically arranged support members 3 and 4 are rigidly secured spacedapart between said side plates normal to the planes of said side plateswhich also serve as spacers for the plates. Journalled in each of saidsupport members adjacent the bottom end thereof IS a lower pinion orgear 5 and connected between said pinions 5 is an elongate drive membercomprising a helical spindle or shaft 7 having its axis of rotationtransverse to the support members. Journalled in each of j the supportmembers spaced above pinion 5 is a second or upper pinion or gear 6,said pinions 5 and 6 being meshed at their toothed peripheries. It willbe apparent that as the spindle or shaft 7 is rotated, the meshedpinions 5 and 6 likewise'will be rotated.

' Each of the pinions 6 have secured to a circumferential surfacethereof a knotting hook or bill 8 which is rotatable with its pinion 6.Said bills 8 face one toward the other between said support members androtate coaxially with its associated pinion 6. Each of said bills 8includes a pair of grips or fingers 9 and shearing blades 11 coaxiallymounted for pivotal movement on a suitable pin passed transverselytherethrough and an adjustment screw 10a is provided for varying thegripping pressure of said fingers 9.

As seen in Fig. 5, the bill 8 has the fingers 9 arranged side by sideand each comprising a substantially L-shaped member one end of which isconnected on pin 10 which is mounted on a short stub 6a rigidly securedto pinion 6. The opposite free ends of said fingers 9 are slightlydivergent giving rise to a recess 9a at the free ends of said fingersinto which a thread can be engaged.

Each of said support members 3 and 4 carries a guide member 12 having asubstantially circular camming surface 12' cut out therein, the centerof said circular cutout being offset or eccentric relative the axis ofrotation of the pinion 6 and stub 6a supporting a said knotting hook orbill 8. The shearing blades 11 each have extensions or tails 13 whichextend rearwardly toward pinion 6 and into the cut-out in position tobear against said camming surface 12' when the knotting bill isrevolved. As selective portions of the camming surface are engaged, theshear members 11 are selectively pivoted relative the gripping fingers 9to function in consort therewith as will be explained subsequently.

The triggering lever of the device is designated 15,

, same being pivotally mounted between side plates 1 and 2 on shaft 15aand maintained in a normal return position by the leaf spring 17 woundat one end thereof around shaft 15a and having its second end bearingagainst stop 15c (in dotted lines in Fig. 1) between said side plates.As seen from Figs. 1 and 2, said lever 15 includes a pair of platesegments 31 and upstanding from the upper edge of the one segment 31(seen in Fig. 1) is a pawl or bar 16 arranged to bear against thelateral surfaces of the helical member 7. Thus, as the trigger 15 ismoved in the direction of arrow 15b to the dotted line position thereofshown in Fig. l, pawl 16 affects rotation of the spindle 7 with theaccompanying rotation of the meshed pinions 5 and 6 and the hooks orbills secured to pinions 6.

Pivotally mounted on a pin 18 supported at its ends between side plates1 and 2 is the extractor and tensioning lever 19. Said lever 19 isconnected by an articulated linkage with the trigger lever 15, saidlinkage including the arm or link 20 extending parallel with the sideplate 1. One end of the link 20 is connected to the lever 19 asindicated at 20a and the opposite end is pivotally connected asindicated at 20b to one end of the link or arm 21, the opposite end ofsaid link 21 being pivotally attached on the side plate 1 as seen at21a. Intermediate the pivotally connected ends of said link 21 is a pin23 extending inwardly toward an adjacent plate segment 31, said adjacentplate 31 having a shaped guide slot 24 therein through which pin 23 isreceived. Thus, when the trigger lever is pivoted in direction ofarrow'l5b, said pin 23 will be translated causing links 20 and zl toaifect curvilinear movement of the lever 19 between the bills 8 in anupward direction to the dotted line position 19a seen in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 2, as mentioned heretofore, the first step in theformation of the composite knot is cross-over of the two threads to betied. This is accomplished by means of the substantially L-shaped levers26 and 27. Each of said levers is pivotally mounted at its bottom end ona pin 25 attached on side plate 2. Said levers 26 and 27 are connectedone to the other by means of the cross-links 26a and 27a which arepivotally conjoined together, said cross-links carrying a pin 30 whichis engaged in a cam guide slot 30a formed in the second plate segment 31of the lever 15. When the trigger is moved to the dotted line positionthereof shown in Fig. 2, the pin 30 is translated to cause said levers26 and 27 to pivot one toward the other. At the upper ends of saidlevers 26 and 27 are formed the grips or pawls 28 and 29 respectivelyfacing inwardly one toward the other, said grips 28 and 29 crossing onethe other in the pivotal movement of the levers 26 and 27. Thus, with athread engaged by each of said pawls 28 and 29, upon rotation of saidlevers 26 and 27, the threads will be crossed forming a loop.

Each of said side plates are provided with guide slits, slits 32 and 33of plate 1 and slits 34 and 35 of plate 2 each opening to the top edgeof the plate in which provided. Further, each slit of one plate isaligned substantially opposite a slit of the second plate.

We consider now the operation of the device D. The threads 36 and 37 tobe tied are laid laterally across the side plates land 2 each receivedin a pair of said aligned slits. Thus, thread 36 may extend betweenplates 1 and 2 supported in slits 32 and 35 and thread 37 may besupported in slits 33 and 34 in a like manner. As seen in Fig. l, slits32 and 34 are outwardly bowed with respect to one another so that thethreads when on the bottom of the slit are positioned each to besupported between plates 1 and 2 on a knotting bill 8 behind the fingers9 thereof because each slit 32 and 33 is offset laterally from thefingers 9 adjacent which it is arranged, The threads 36 and 37 aresufficiently long to protrude outwardly of said side plates therebyproviding portions which may be snubbed against the side plates duringform. ing of the composite knot so that said threads will be preventedfrom being pulled out of the device inadvertently.

ment each'pass into the open loop and wrap around both of the threads.As each bill approaches a complete revolution therefor, each of thefingers 9 is open and moves to grip a thread wrapped around its bill inthe portion 9a thereof. However, the thead gripped by each bill is thesecond thread of the pair, namely, the one not supported thereon in theoriginal placement of the threads in said guide slits. Upon completionof a revolution, each bill forms an overhand knot 38 and the knots 38are spaced apart as seen in Fig. 7. The thread 37 is hitched in the knot38 on the left and the thread 36 is hitched in the knot 38 on the right.Referring to Fig. 9, after said spaced apart knots 38 have been formed,the tensioning lever 19 is moved between the bills in a curvilinearmovement in direction of arrow T into engagement with the conjoinedthreads between said knots 38. As the lever 19 moves upwardly indicatedby the dotted line position 40 thereof in Fig. 7, the knots 38 arecaused to slide together on portions 42 of said threads between saidknots (see Fig. 7).

Meanwhile, after the knots 38 have been formed, the shears 11 snip athread end adjacent a said knot, however, gripping fingers 9 stillretain their hold until the lever 19 has completed its uppermostmovement. The final position of said lever 19 is seen in Fig. 8 wherethe knots 38 have been pulled together into a composite knot 44. Also,the gripping fingers 19 will have been moved apart to release thethreads.

The composite knot 44 is seen in Fig. 3 on an exaggerated scale. Thesnipped or sheared ends 46 are also seen adjacent said knot 44, saidknot 44 tying together the threads 36 and 37. The resulting knot 44 is asecure and non-slip connection between said two threads, and continuouspull on the threads 36 and 37 will only result in the knots 38 beingpulled closer together.

The gripping, shearing and releasing of the threads by the bills 8 iscontrolled by means of the tail portions 13 on each bill which rideagainst the cam guide surface 12' of the guide member supported on eachof the sides 1 and 2. Said guide surfaces each are substantiallycircular in configuration with the center of the circle offset oreccentric relative the axis of rotation of the bill 8 extendingtherethrough. Thus, as each bill is rotated, the first portion of thecycle has the tails 13 free of engagement with said surfaces 12. Thetails become engaged with said surfaces toward the end of the revolutionwhere first they cause movement of the shearing members to effectgripping of the thread then shearing of the thread. As the bills movepast the point of a complete revolution and shearing is completed, saidtails may ease away from the surfaces 12 due to the eccentricity of thecircular surface 12', but still not sufiiciently to release the threadsuntil after the composite knot 44 has been formed.

It is believed the invention has been described sufficiently to enablethe skilled artisan to understand and practice the same. Minorvariations are contemplated within the spirit of the invention withoutdeparting from the broad principles thereof as set forth in appendedclaims.

What is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A knotting device for automatically tying a pair of threads in acomposite knot comprising, a pair of laterally spaced apart side plates,a pair of knotting bills including thread holding means and threadshearing means rotatably mounted between said plates on axessubstantially parallel to the planes of said plates, a pair of supportmembers mounted transversely between said plates, said plates havingguide slits in an end edge thereof for supporting said threads extendedbetween said side plates and laterally spaced one from the other withthe holding and shearing means of said bills located between saidthreads, a trigger lever pivotally mounted between said plates, saidknotting bills and support members having cooperating cam guide meansfor controlling sequential operation of said holding means and threadshearing means during cyclic operation of the device, a tension leverconnected to said trigger lever for reciprocal movement in a verticalplane between said knotting bills, drive means connected between saidtrigger lever and said knotting bills, operable to affect rotation ofsaid bills when the trigger lever is moved, and second thread grippingmeans operably connected with the trigger means and arranged adjacentone of said plates in a predetermined position relative to the guideslits in said one plate whereby operation of the second thread grippingmeans will cross said threads, said device operative upon movement ofthe trigger lever to perform a sequence of operations in which thethreads first are crossed by said second gripping means, thereafter saidknotting bills are rotated through a cycle of revolution in which a pairof spaced apart knots are formed and ends of the threads are severed,then said tensioning lever is moved to slide said knots one toward theother to form said composite knot.

2. A device as described in claim 1 in which said holding means retaintheir hold on the threads after the thread ends have been severed,albeit release their hold when the compo-site knot is formed.

3. A device as described in claim 1 in which said two knots comprisesimple overhand knots.

4. A device as described in claim 1 inwhich said cam guide meansincludes a curved cam surface in each support member and said bills eachhave extensions adapted to engage with and move along a said surfaceduring cyclic rotation of the bill.

S. A device as described in claim 4 in which said support members eachhave a substantially arcuate cut-out thereof the curved edge of whichprovides said cam surface.

6. A device as described in claim 1 in which said drive means includes ahelical member supported between said plates and gear means connectedbetween said helical member and said bills, said trigger lever having aportion thereof bearing against said helical member to rotate same whenthe lever is moved.

7. A device as described in claim 6 in which said device has springmeans connected with said trigger lever to return same to its initialposition after the composite knot is formed.

8. A device as described in claim 1 in which said sec ond gripping meanscomprises a pair of elongate levers pivotally connected at one endthereof to said trigger lever, the opposite ends of said elongate levershaving offset gripping fingers facing one the other, said elongatelevers being pivotal to cross one the other prior to the time said billsfirst engage the threads.

9. An automatic knot tying device for tying together a pair of threadssupported laterally spaced one relative the other in said devicecomprising, a frame supporting a plurality of operational componentsoperated sequentially to tie said knots including, means pivotallymounted for engaging and crossing said threads, rotary knotting billmeans having thread gripping means and thread shearing means, saidthread gripping and thread shearing means being movable to engage saidthreads after same have been crossed and complete their cyclicrevolution to tie a pair of knots spaced one from the other and severends of said threads, said knots being formed on intermediate portionsof said thread between the knots and slidable one toward the other toform a composite knot tying said threads together, drive means connectedwith said thread zcr'ossing-means and bill means including guide meansand 11'. A device as described in claim 10 in which said atrigger lever.movable to initiate and complete said deguide means comprises cam meanscooperable with said scribed sequential movement of said componentsthrough knotting bills to control operation of said thread gripsaiddrive means to form said composite knot. pingmeans and thread shearingmeans.

10. A device as described in claim 9 in which there is '5 tensioningmeans supported on the frame movable to en- References Cited in the fileof 111115 Patent gage said intermediate portions after the pair of knotsi have been formed and affect sliding of said knots to' a UNITED STATESPATENTS position one adjacent the other, said tensioning means 1,348,929Coleman Aug. 10, 1920 being operably connected with said lever. .102,786,256 Axelsson Mar. 26, 1957

